Index



W. H. SGHUYLER.

INDEX.

(No Model.)

N0.513,343. Patented'Jam-2 3, 1894.

I WILLIAM II. SCHUYLER, OF MILTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

INDEX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 513,343, dated January 23, 1894. Application filed November 29. 1893. Serial No. 492,343. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. SCHUYLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milton, in the county of Northumberland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Indexesp and I do declare the following to be a fullf clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has for its object the provision of a simple and efficient device by means of which an index or directory may be quickly opened at the desired point. This object I accomplish by the use of the device shown in the accompanying drawings and the invention consists in certain novel features of the same as will be hereinafter first fully described and then pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved index. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same, and Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the operating mechanism. I

In carrying out my invention, I employ a casing, A, having a swinging cover, B, and having its base or bottom extended forward, as shown at C. In the base or bottom of the casing or frame, I form a series of longitudinal grooves, D, which communicate with and extend between the longitudinal slots E in the extension 0 and under the longitudinal slots F near the rear end of the casmg. Extending through these grooves and supported by two transverse rods G, are the sliding rods or pitmen H which have their front ends bent upward through the slots E and secured to keys or buttons I adapted to move longitudinally over the extension 0. The rear ends of the pitmen are turned upward through the slots F and formed into hooks or fingers J, the concave surfaces of which. are on their front edges. Within the grooves D, springs K are coiled around the pitmen and have their front ends bearing against washers L at the front ends of the grooves and their rear ends bearing against annular shoulders M which are each provided with a rearwardly projecting curved crank arm 0, as shown, and carries a card or leaf P upon which is inscribed the names of persons to which reference is frequently had. The cards or levers P, it will be noticed, when at rest swing downward and forward, and lie closely together under the cover of the casing. Then they are raised, in the operation of the device, they are thrown against a spring Q secured to the casing which forces them downward again as soon as the pressure on the key is relieved. A link R is pivoted to the end of each crank arm 0 and plays in an eye S at the upper end of a post or guide arm T erected in the casing in rear of the hooks or fingers J which extend up through the longitudinal slot U in the links and engage the front ends of the same.

The construction and arrangement of the several parts of the device being thus made known, the manner of using the same will be readily comprehended. The names are indexed alphabetically by their initial letters or groups of lettersand the keys are properly inscribed or otherwise identified in a corresponding manner to indicate the letters or groups of letters which will be exposed by pressing upon the respective keys. When it is desired to refer to any particular name, the proper key is pressed forward thus draw ing the pitman or sliding rod attached thereto toward the front of the casing. The hook or finger at the rear end of the said pitman is thus brought against the front wall of the slot in the link R and a pressure consequently exerted on said link to force the same forward. The actuating surface of said finger being concave and the forward movement of the link being resisted by the crank arm to which it is pivoted, the said link will swing downward, carrying with it the crank arm and consequently rotating the rock shaft so as to lift the leaf or plate secured thereto. It will be understood, of course, that all the leaves above the one directly actuated will be raised by it, the several links moving on their respective hooks without actuating the same and being held in their proper positions by the guide posts. As soon as the pressure on the key is removed the leaves fall, as before stated, and the pitman is returned to its initial position by the spring surrounding the same.

It will be observed that my device is exceedingly simple and compact in its construction and arrangement.

The device willbe found peculiarly advantageous for keeping a record of the names and addresses of a large number of correspondents or similar records as desired leaf is positively and with certainty brought into view thus saving'the'time usually lost in turning over the leaves of an index book.

The'manifold other advantages of the device are thought to be obvious without a detailed reference thereto.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. Ina device of the character described,

the combination of aseries of rock shafts each carrying an inscribed leaf or plate, a series of sliding rods or pitmen, means for actuating the same, and connections between the rods and the rock shafts whereby each of the rods is adapted to actuate one of the shafts.

2. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a series of rock shafts each carrying an inscribed leaf orplate, a ser1es of pitmen or sliding rods, connectlons whereby each of the pitmen is adapted to actuate one of the shafts, a series of keys for drawing sa1d pitmen forward, and a series of springs acting on said pitmen and holding them normally rearward.

3. The combination of a series of rock shafts each carrying an inscribed leaf or plate and each having a rearwardly pro ect1ng crank arm, a series of links pivoted to said crank arms and supported by guide posts in rear of the same, a series of sliding pitmen having their rear ends engaging said links, and means for operating said pitmen.

4. The combination of a series of rock shafts each having a rearwardly projecting crank arm, a series of longitudinally slotted links supported by guide posts in rear of the rock shafts and pivoted to the crank arms, a "series of pitmen having their rear endsfgrmed into vertical hooks or fingers which enter the slotsin the'links and engage the same, and

means for operating said pitmen.

In testimony whereofIaffix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. SCHUYLER.

Witnesses:

'HoRAcE GAUGER,

N. W. WALTER. 

